Drow
Introduction More commonly referred to as Dark Elves, drow have characteristics similar to their elven kin, but can be easily identified by their midnight black skin and white hair which tends to shade a pale yellow with advanced age. A matriarchal society, drow tend to live in the Underdark, where they serve their evil deity, Lolth. However, some drow choose to reject this way of life and flee to the surface of Faerûn, where they seek to show that not all of their kind are inherently evil. Branded traitors and outcasts by their own people, some have come to Neverwinter seeking acceptance on the surface world and protection from what lies beneath... Race Origins The origin of Elves, Drow and the Eladrin are similar, with their roots in Feywild. At the dawn of creation, all Feywild races were a single race dwelling both in the Feywild and in the world, passing freely between the two. When the drow rebelled against their kin, under the leadership of the goddess Lolth, whom then was known as Araushnee (Corellon Larethian's former consort and Goddess of All Elves), the resulting battles tore the Fey kingdoms asunder. The drow were cursed and banished to the Underdark and their goddess was also cursed, twisted into the demonic spider goddess she is now known as, becoming Lolth or Lloth. Ties between the peoples of the Feywild and the world grew tenuous and eventually the elves and eladrin grew into two distinct races. History Drow were once known as Dark Elves and their nation was one of the most powerful in the world. In -30000 DR however, their goddess Araushnee betrayed her fellow Seldarine and, along with Ghaunadaur, Vhaeraun, Malar and others, they tried to invade Arvandor. Afterwards Araushnee was cast into the Abyss, where she took the name Lolth. During the First Crown War, the Ilythiiri made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer Faerûn (actually they conquered Southern Faerun and to the north up to Shantel Othreier, and perhaps only the intervention of Corellon Larethian had stopped them) and, at the time of the Fourth Crown War, they turned to Lloth and the other outcast Seldarine in the Demonweb Pits, who then gave them powerful magic and fiendish allies as a reward for their allegiance. One of these was a balor named Wendonai who bred with the Ilythiiri, giving them a taint. After many malicious acts and abuses of elven magic, Corellon Larethian banished the dhaerow'' (traitors),'' whom Lolth used to be responsible for (and most of whom still secretly worshiped her), to the Underdark. A horrid magical storm known as the Dark Disaster laid waste to Miyeritar. History (as written by the victors of the Third Crown War) says that Miyeritar's attempts to stop Aryvandaar's armies caused the Dark Disaster. In truth, the fell magic that produced it was called forth by Vyshaantar high mages and proceeded unopposed because a Vyshaantar assassination campaign had destroyed many of Miyeritar's high mages in the months before. The Dark Disaster hung over Miyeritar like a funeral shroud for months and, when it's cloying mists and bloody rains finally dissipated, the once-proud forest had been reduced to a blasted and poisonous wasteland. Although many of Miyeritar's original inhabitants had fled long before the killing storm hit, innumerable innocents suffered horrible deaths. The taint of Wendonai allows him to hear the thoughts of those tainted. It is only the Ilythiiri who carry it and it drives their cruel and arrogant nature. The drow, as they were now named, have always believed that they were punished for being “successful” and have remembered this perceived slight, vowing eternal revenge while still claiming the surface world as rightfully theirs. After the so-called “Descent,” the war-like drow immediately began to violently try and establish their own territories in the Underdark, around -9600 DR. They stole dwarven magical items and used them against their former masters, creating the enmity that still exists to this day. They also seized the gold dwarf cavern of Bhaerynden, creating the kingdom of Telantiwar. The drow then began fighting amongst themselves, trying to establish a single ruler. The attempt failed, only resulting in a great magical explosion that destroyed this large cavern, forming the Great Rift. The surviving nobles took what they could and left to establish their own realms elsewhere in the Underdark. This time was known as the Scattering and produced most of the cities in which the drow live to this day. Such cities include Sshamath, founded beneath the Far Hills in -4973 DR, Menzoberranzan, founded in -3917 DR, and Ched Nasad, founded in -3843 DR. On the surface the drow are sometimes referred to as "The Ones Who Went Below." Physical Characterstics The beauty and sophistication of the drow race fail to mask their hearts and are all too often stained in evil. In many ways, drow resemble eladrin. Drow have obsidian colored skin and pale yellow (or pale golden), silver or white hair, the latter being by far the most common. As a drow reaches a venerable age, their hair usually thins and either begins to turn a dull-yellow hue or the yellow hue becomes more prominent in those with a natural yellow hair color. Drow generally take great care of their hair, carefully groom it and most drow wear thier hair long with jewelry and other accessories decorating it. Like all elves, drow are incapable of growing beards, though many males are fond of long sideburns. Drow eyes are usually bright red, but some are known to have different colored, commonly much paler, eyes such as blue, lilac, pink or silver. Sometimes their eyes are even green which would implicate that this particular drow has some surface elven blood in their veins. The drow of the Underdark have been known to execute their newborn children born with blue or green eyes, seeing it as a sign of tainted'' "goodness,"'' offering them as sacrifices to their goddess Lolth. Drow have lifespans far beyond that of humans and comparable with the rest of the elves, although usually somewhat longer. This is, of course, presuming the drow doesn't meet a premature and violent end, as many often do, but those that survive the trials of their society and the horrors of the Underdark can live for centuries. They have higher birthrate compared to other elves but their constant genocide of their own people has kept their population in control. Abilities Although the strongest class for a Drow is perhaps the priestess class, or female cleric, they derive their power from the demon goddess Lolth of the Spider-web Pits in the Abyss. Hence, they may not be a strong playable character class but as a good monster class. Drow are brought up to be arrogantly self-dependent, cold-hearted, ruthless and urbane. Their racial ability is tied to Lolth, those touched by Lolth can use dark powers. They are stealthy and because of them being drow, can intimidate others more easily. Drow, like their surface cousins, do not sleep but find their rest in a meditative state called “reverie” which is as restful as true sleep but leaves them aware of their surroundings. Psychology The vast majority of dark elves base their behavior and attitudes on the worship of the chaotic evil goddess Lolth, also known as the Spider Queen. The drow of the Underdark do not believe in kindness, even towards their children. Their children must be cunning from birth or die. Drow are cold parents, instilling self-reliance and independence, which also reinforces their natural inclinations toward evil. Tyical drow are cruel in their dealings with others and treacherous among themselves. Drow understand the value of alliances and enjoy congenial companionship, but they regard any such arrangements as temporary and learn at an early age to distrust. They expect the worst and are last to be surprised at a betreyal. Thus they can never form everlasting friendships. Culture Drow society is organized into Houses, each lead by their Matron Mother and often wage wars against their rival Houses for dominance. In the pursuit of power, status, and Lolth’s favor, drow Houses compete with each other to amass wealth and enslave weaker races. The fickle whims of Lolth’s priestesses demand absolute obedience, driving the race to further evil. The heads of the most powerful houses, always female drow as they are a matriachical society, occupy leadership positions in the various cities of the Underdark, their home (see regions). Drow who have forsaken the evil ways of their demonic goddess tend to either worship the good drow goddess, Eilistrasee, or a human deity and are often outcasts that have immigrated to the surface. One notable good drow priestes was one of the Seven Sisters of Mystra, Qulué Veladorn, who worshipped both Eilistrasee and Mystra alike. Homelands (add known cities later) Sub-Races and groups Related Races Elves, Drow and Eladrin have the same origin of Feywild but because of trifurcation of their history, they became different from each other. Trivia Drow names in Toril: *Male: Adinimys, Baridl, Belgos, Bhintel, Drisdhaun, Elkantar, Haelirin, Houndaer, Kelnozz, Malaggar, Nalklyr, Orkallael, Pelloth, Phaeqel, Quarfein, Ryltar, Ulvein, Vorgyrn, Xulgos, Zebith *Female: Akneth, Alauniira, Briesril, Chali, Charinida, Diviir, Drisiml, Faeremma, Fillith, Ilivarra, Myrymma, Pellanistra, Quewaun, Shivra, Viergar, Waeren, Xune, Yasesril, Zaketrin, Zarra Drizzt is a Drow from R.A. Salvatore's books who is said to make an appearence in Neverwinter game. However many people using a deviant of Drizzt name may find hostility from player base, so please be forewarned. Sava is a game played by Drow people. // Needs source links & reworded // The origin of word Drow (in real life) could be derived from Trow with plural as Trows. As Trow was sometimes called Drow, the plural in old dictionaries of fictional races says, "Drows." However Drow is also used commonly now-a-days to refer to the race as a whole. To keep in line with official publications, source books and novels, the singular and plural use of the race will be just "drow." Navigation Return Home, Races Main